Do You Go By First Or Last Name At Work?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Specializes in PCT/CNA/HHA.

Just curious to know. Let's get a census going :p

Specializes in LTC.
Specializes in ICU.

First. We only have our first names on our badges (well, except the docs).

First.

I think it's extremely disrespectful for people to call me by my last name alone.

I'm not in the armed forces, I'm in a nursing home (although they do feel one in the same sometimes!).

I also have my last name on my badge covered up for privacy (we get our fair share of psychos -- both patients AND families) but most of my coworkers know what it is anyways.

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

First name. Just about everybody in my hospital goes by their first names -- including many administrators and physicians.

Specializes in geriatrics, dementia, ortho.

First. That's the only one that's displayed on my nametag, and I prefer it that way. I wouldn't want to be called by just my last name, and I'd feel strange having people call me "Mrs. X", especially people old enough to be my grandparents.

Specializes in Oncology.

Last. there are three other CNAs named Heather besides me. :rolleyes:

Specializes in PACU, LTC, Med-Surg, Telemetry, Psych.

First.

Only old school nurses go by last name, and usually only when answering the phone to doctors.

Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.

I notice that some of the CNA's and nurses from other cultures refer to each other(and to patients) by their last name. I don't like it though..maybe b/c I don't like my last name lol. So yea I wouldn't be happy if someone constantly referred to me by it. I know in cases @ work where there are two people with the same first name, they refer to them by their first name & first initial of their last name. Like "Ashley A." and "Ashley B." for example.

Specializes in ICU.
(and to patients) by their last name.

Oh, I always refer to patients by their last name! In their presence I call them "Mr. X" or "Ms. X." At the nurses' station I refer to them as "X in room ###." Occasionally someone will ask me to use their first name so I try to respect that and do so, but I forget a lot. Habit....

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

first. before i became disabled, i worked in a state mental hospital. we all had only our first names engraved on our badges, including the medical staff. as a staff nurse, i had rn kathy on my badge, and later, supervisor kathy rn. medical staff had dr. john (or whomever) on theirs. physicians badges were different colors depending upon their rank.

Specializes in Med-Surg/urology.
Oh, I always refer to patients by their last name! In their presence I call them "Mr. X" or "Ms. X." At the nurses' station I refer to them as "X in room ###." Occasionally someone will ask me to use their first name so I try to respect that and do so, but I forget a lot. Habit....

I do that too but really I meant they refer to them as "Smith" or "Jones"..No "Mr. Smith" or "Mrs. Jones" lol.

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